VEChannel Event Profile

COBRA and CalCOBRA: How to Comply with Recent Changes in the Law

For the first time since 1986, the U.S. Department of Labor has changed the requirements for the COBRA notifications you must give your employees. And the deadline for compliance with the new rules is approaching fast. The consequences for not giving notice in accordance with COBRA rules can be steep, including having to pay an employees uncovered medical bills, attorneys fees, and penalties. Consider this recent example: In May, a federal judge fined an employer $307,000 for failing to provide an exemployee with the proper COBRA notice. The court assessed the maximum statutory penalty of $110 per day for each beneficiarythe employee and his wifeas well as their actual medical expenses. And the employer may STILL get hit with attorneys fees and court costs. ...and as usual, California employers have to worry about more than just the federal rules. This conference is targeted exclusively for employers in our state, and it will help you understand how the new federal rules interact with the state rule, CalCOBRA. Purchase this recorded CD which you can use time and time again, as well as share with your colleagues, and learn: What the final rules requireand the deadline for compliance How to get your COBRA notification forms and procedures up to speed Which notices youre required to give employeeand when How to recognize a "qualifying event" How to establish "reasonable" notice procedures, as required by the final rules The special notice requirements that come into play if COBRA coverage is unavailable or terminates early Why you need to take another look at your Summary Plan Description How to modify the model notices to fit your specific needs How CalCOBRA and COBRA fit together and what this puzzle means to you About our speakers: TIMOTHY G. VERRALL, Esq. is an associate at Morrison & Foerster in Irvine, California. His practice focuses on tax, investment management, and privacy issues, and he is the author of several articles on COBRA issues, including "California Adopts Legislation Extending COBRA and CalCOBRA Benefits," available on the Morrison & Foerster website. He is also a frequent speaker on benefits issues and other topics of interest to employers. He earned his B.A. from Mississippi State University and his J.D. from Tulane Law School. JOEL DANIEL, Esq. is a shareholder at Ogletree Deakins in Greenville, South Carolina. He has extensive legal and professional experience in the areas of employee benefits and related taxation matters. His practice includes representation in the areas of qualified retirement plans, welfare benefit plans, fringe benefit plans, multiemployer plans, executive compensation and international compensation. Mr. Daniel also represents clients in employee benefits claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). He has been certified as a specialist in taxation law by the South Carolina Supreme Court, and he is a Certified Public Accountant. He earned his J.D. from the University of South Carolina and his B.S. from the College of Charleston.

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